"Children who live in poverty have the same opportunities as children who do not.

The Niagara Poverty Reduction Network: Children in poverty are more likely to experience low academic achievement, health problems, early pregnancy, homelessness, lower high school graduation rates and poor employment outcomes.

In Ontario, one in seven children lives in poverty. In Niagara, more than 5,400 children live in poverty.

Darlene Ciuffetelli Parker: “Poverty has serious, long-lasting impacts on children and learning,” she says. For example, many children who live in poverty can't read at the same level as their peers. If they're not healthy (lack of healthy foods, etc.), their brains don't function as well. The education system also assumes that mom and dad are reading at home with their children. “But maybe mom and dad aren't at home because they have five jobs.”